Four months to the day since the Charlotte City Council passed the discriminatory House Bill 2 in North Carolina, Chicago has done the opposite. In a vote passed at 45 to five, Chicago's City Council has announced that transgender people are allowed to use whichever bathroom matches their gender identity. "As other states try to erase transgender people from public life, let’s recognize that this ordinance is about more than public accommodations. In the wake of the violence against LGBT people in Orlando, it is about standing up for the dignity of all Chicagoans and ensuring our city remains a welcoming and affirming place,” Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois says. It's a small but significant step in the right direction for the LGBTQIA community and the country as a whole.